Signoret began her acting career as an extra in French films during World War II. With a style that blends intelligence and sensuality, she eventually achieved international fame for her role in the British film Room at the Top (1959), for which she won an Academy Award . She was nominated again for her performance in Ship of Fools (1965). Her second husband was the actor/singer Yves Montand, and they costarred in numerous films. She made her last screen appearance in L'Etoile du Nord (1982).